Cherry Blossoms, Jimjilbangs, Peeps, and Selfies

This past Friday, I celebrated my 10 month-iversary in Korea! Pretty wild, right? It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that I've been in Korea for almost a year. In just a couple short months, I'll be flying home to visit my lovely family and I am so psyched!

Before this happens, have many activities lined up here in Korea (spoiler alert: May is going to be incredible). But let me back up a little bit and fill you in on yet another great week in Gwangju.

1. Spring is in full swing here. The greatest evidence: cherry blossoms (벚꽃)! Last Saturday I went to a Cherry Blossom festival which was conveniently located directly across the street from my church building. The downside? The weather! Right as the blossoms were blooming, we got some heavy rainstorms. Everyone was so concerned about the poor blossoms. They took a beating but they were still pretty.

Poor blossoms!

It was very rainy so I didn't take many pictures

A corn dog covered in fries?? Good job, Korea! A+

Back at the church, there was conveniently an activity with food! I ate delicious seaweed soup, kimbap, and chicken ^_^. Johanna, a classy French girl in my ward looked super French with her French beret. I convinced her to let me try it on too. Who wears it best?

French?

American?

Korean?

Clearly Johanna is the winner hahaha.

After dinner, we headed downtown for dessert. Mmmmm bingsu. I could eat bingsu every day.

You can't see the bingsu...because we ate it. But trust me, it's delicious

Since that day, I've been a little more successful with finding good cherry blossoms:

2. Yesterday, I had an adventure that was, uh, interesting. Very new and different haha. I went to a jimjilbang (Korean spa). If you don't know anything about what goes on in a jimjilbang, I'll fill you in with this Conan O'Brien clip:

Yes, I even did the full body scrub...yes, it was painful. But I felt so smooth and reborn afterwards! It was definitely an eye-opening experience. Jimjilbangs are nice because it's a cheap place to get cleaned up and sleep for a night when travelling. 

3. My mom sent me so many peeps in my Easter package! I've been really excited to try the unique flavors she sent but I haven't had an opportunity to share the experience with anyone. So I went ahead and tried a couple on my own:

4. In the States, taking selfies is shameful! But in Korea, it's very normal and very much embraced. I can take vanity selfies with pride and confidence! A new friend from Australia introduced me to a Korean picture app: Candy Camera. This app is popular because it pretty much makes you look perfect. Here are some good ones I got today next to beautiful flowers my friends and I came across walking home from church.

For comparison, here is one picture I took WITHOUT the app

And then things started to get silly,  naturally

ANYWAY. Please excuse the vanity. Really, this camera app is wonderful.

5. I have one more thing I must share with you. 

Shrek sweater!

Eating Shrek chicken nuggets while wearing my Shrek sweater

Okay. That's all. Until next time, friends and family!

Easter Package

My wonderful mother sent me a delightful Easter package with many yummy treats!

Thanks, mom! Love you!

Package from Carols!

A couple weeks ago, I received a package from my friend Carol. I've been really busy with work and I'm currently fighting off a cold so it took me a while to get around to editing the video where I open it. She sent me several goodies that I have thoroughly enjoyed over the past two weeks--including 3 boxes of cereal...which are long gone by now. Man, I love cereal.

She also made a video of her making and packing the box, which I watched after opening it. Check it out here!

Golgulsa New Year Temple Stay

I spent this past New Year very differently than usual. Rather than dancing away until midnight, I was snuggled in bed around 11:00 pm. But hey, don't pity me! I was in Gyeongju, South Korea at a Buddhist temple. I may not have stayed up until midnight, but I was awake to witness something a little more captivating

The first sunrise of 2015. So beautiful. 

I made a little video of my stay at this Buddhist temple. This temple is unique, in that it is the headquarters of Sunmudo, a Korean Buddhist martial art. We had a couple Sunmudo training sessions. 

I wouldn't want to have spent my New Year in Korea any other way.

Christmas 2014

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas this year! Mine was simple and lovely. One of my friends from church opened her home to me and the sister missionaries. So after making myself some biscuits and gravy for breakfast and opening my presents from home, I headed to her apartment for a delicious homemade lunch. When I got home that evening, I indulged in my Christmas spoils.

Biscuits and gravy for breakfast--a Fuller family tradition!

Opening my Christmas presents from home. Thank you mom, dad, and Oliver for the thoughtful gifts!

I completed the puzzle shortly after talking to my family on Skype around 2:00am

See my previous post for a few more pictures from Christmas day.

I have a lot of exciting plans coming up so look forward to more blog posts and pictures soon!

Q&A 2: The Sequel

Merry Christmas, everyone! Here is my gift to you: a new video where I answer questions about my Korea experience. This weekend, I will make another post to clarify and further explain my answers but right now I'm busy Christmas-ing. Christmas day video to come soon as well!

In the meantime, here are some other fun things to check out!

My YSA friends at church made this cute video for our Christmas party. I'm in 3 spots, I think.

Christmas spoils!

Christmas spoils! (Now at a slightly different angle)

My sad attempt at the Fuller family traditional Christmas day breakfast, biscuits and gravy

Lunch was a lot better because it was made by a Korean and was absolutely divine

My mom sent me a Jamberry nail wrap kit

More Christmas spoils, courtesy of a sister missionary's generous family 

Enjoy your Christmas day! I'm off to put together my new Colorado Rockies puzzle I got for Christmas and watch A Christmas Story!

...And Presents By the Tree

This morning, I was chatting with my parents on Skype when my mom asked if I had yet received the Christmas package they sent me. I had not, and my mom's carefully calculated estimated delivery date was the day after Christmas. Of course having presents to open Christmas morning is not the most important thing about the holiday, but my little tree has been looking a little sad without presents underneath it! But today, something wonderful happened. My package arrived well before Christmas day! Now I have my presents from home, and my family has my presents from me. Whew. I had confirmed with my mom that the gifts inside my box were wrapped so I opened that sucker right up when I got home and placed the lovingly wrapped gifts under my bright little Christmas tree.

I also received a Christmas card from my dad last week, but I forgot to take a picture and it is on my desk at work (my students like to look at the cards I get from home). It has a beautiful picture of the Savior on it and a sweet note inside to remind me of Christ's sacrifice for me. Thank you, dad :).

Thank you so, so much, dear family <3!

Music I listened to while writing this post: Julia Nunes! I'm a long-time fan. Her voice is so rich and beautiful and I love this rendition of I'll Be Home for Christmas.